Longshot was a bit startled by how quickly this conversation had gotten awkward. "I don't believe they did. One of the things they wanted to discuss I imagine. If you've got a training ground or a workshop, that might be a good place to start."

As exciting as it was watching Mel 'speak' for the first time in ages, nopony seemed too keen on actually fixing the volume problem. Val was happy for her friend, but a little frustrated too. She had spent a lot of time on this project for Melody- time she hadn't really had to spare, what with the other projects she was working on, namely a more reliable thermite weapon, ablative armor tiles, and that one other thing.

Still, it was worth it to help a friend, and if said friend needed time to cope- which struck Valence as odd given how much time she had been mute to begin with- then so be it. Val would help iron out the kinks whenever she was asked to. In the meantime, however, standing around the lab waiting for something else to hapen was driving her a little crazy. Or maybe it was hunger... there were times when she was pregnant with Nova that high emotional states turned out to be due to hunger or thirst or fatigue, so it seemed possible this was a holdout of that. "On that note, I'm gonna go get some lunch. Want me to bring you anything?" Val asked politely.

A moment later, Val was trotting through the house on her way to River's kitchen. A train horn hooted nearby- signalling that somepony had gotten off at the station close to the mansion. Valence had taken to watching the train go by whenever she was feeling morning sickness, so these days she still found herself gazing at the train to ease her mind.

Though she grinned broadly as she spotted a familiar stallion walking towards the mansion. Thoughts on lunch forgotten, Valence happily trotted outside towards an old friend and colleague, stopping only to make sure Nova hadn't squirmed herself free. As Valence approached, there were other figures, too, none of whom she recognized. She hopes they were friends and/or colleagues of Mustang's- maybe even fellow scientists! Valence trotted up the the group of them, a little winded from the effort. "Hello, Mustang! It's so good to see you again. Are you here to utilize the labs for your research? Did Princess Twilight invite you? Oh, this is so exciting!" Val said, smiling. "Oh, but where are my manners? I never introduced myself to all your colleagues! Hello, I'm Valence Bond, one of the research and development ponies here. And this little one is Super Nova," Val said, nuzzling Nova, who poked her head up and stared at everypony with those big blue eyes of hers.

"I had no idea you were coming, so I don't know if accommodations are ready yet. But the kitchen is always ready, may as well get some lunch," Valence said, turning around and heading back inside. "So Mustang, who are your friends? Are they scientists too?"

Not bothering to match Tyrfang's pace the red stallion shakes his head before hearing Val's voice. The always chipper mare had continued her habit of talking off a ponies ear before they could get in a word edgewise. Smiling warmly, or at least what he hoped was warmly he waves a hoof at Val's child. “Hello little one, I'm Mustang, and as for my cohorts here.”

He gestures to Spirit and Star first. “This is Spirit Wind, and Starlight. Next to them we have Longshot who's not from the local area at all, and of course the X-Colt extraordinaire, Tyrfang of the Royal Guard. So sadly no scientists, we're mostly here to show Longshot around while things are sorted back in Canterlot.” Val was bright, usually observant to unless something was waying heavily on her mind. Hopfully she'd pick up some of his comment about Longshot. The stallion doubted it was a huge secret, but blabbing about things in the open wasn't something he was willing to do.

"I'm likely the foremost living expert on unicorn spirit magic where I'm from, if that counts for anything. Though most of my work is admittedly derivative of scientists from two hundreded years ago who's own work was largely gleaned from zebra traditions," Longshot offered, not wanting to disappoint for some reason.

"That doesn't sound like any kind of magic I've ever heard about, but magic isn't really my thing. Though I bet doc would know all about it, he's brilliant when it comes to magic," Val said, cheerfully. "He just gave a pony her voice back after an injury that rendered her mute, for instance. Well, to be fair, it wasn't just him- but he did the hard part. All I did was take the specs he gave me and layer single atoms of aluminum, silicon, hydrogen, oxygen, fluorine, magnesium, hafnium, zirconium, and trace amounts of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, and samarium into a chemically and structurally pure lattice, then construct a vacuum chamber and synthesize enough inert gases from the air to prevent any contamination in order to fuse them all into- oh, but I am probably boring you! Kitchen's over here!" Valence said, chattering away happily, before she strode into the kitchen.

"Hi River! I found some friends outside! Got anything to munch on, and something soft for Nova to gum on?" Val said, chuckling.

River poked her head out of the kitchen when she heard Val coming and made her way into the dining room as soon as she saw her friend. "The cafe snacks are still out if ye want to make yerselves some sandwiches, there's some oat bread, a few different kinds of greens, a few spreads and tomatoes and cucumbers." she said, nodding over to the chilled bar that was open at all hours for workers and students that didn't subscribe to regular eating hours. "As for Nova there's some puddin' on the sandwich bar if ye want to let her have that or I can get ye some leftover oatmeal from breakfast if she needs a good solid meal. If she just needs something to keep her busy I have some pear chunks that might be a challenge for her."